Hi Everybody: 
This is just a followup on my quick post at work this morning for yesterday's quest for the Olive-sided Flycatcher in NE Carroll County. As I mentioned Leslie Starr had already been there since about 7AM when I arrived about a half hour later. We both had come from different directions and used different routes to get there. Kridler's Schoolhouse Road is an unpaved road as is Harvey Yingling Road which I accessed off of Rt. 30 in order to reach the desired location. I only mention this because I had never birded either of these unpaved roads before. Harvey Yingling Rd winds through some farm country (lots of corn fields right now) and then turns into a wooded area on both sides of the road. Once it intersects Kridlers Schoolhouse Rd the woods seem thicker and there is a stream that runs through the area on the left side of the road. Both of these roads seem like they would be worth checking during spring and fall migration.
The sight where the Olive-sided Flycatcher (OSFL) had been observed is obvious. There is an area of thick vegetation with about 20-25 dead trees (the overwhelming majority of them are dead pines) which make for fantastic perching locations for flycatchers. The sight is literally 1/10th of a mile south of the Pennsylvania border. Even though we did not confirm the OSFL there was quite a bit of avian activity while we were there. We tallied about 20 species highlighted by scores of A. Robins, E. Wood Pewee, Acadian and Great-crested Flycatchers, 4 species of woodpeckers and Wood Thrush among others.

The highlight of the day occurred for me further up Kridlers Schoolhouse Road about 3/10th of a mile before I reached the OSFL location. I crested a very small hill (more of a bump in the road) and as I started the downhill side 2 adult and 4 young WILD TURKEYS wre crossing the road 20 feet in front of me. I instantly thought that if I  saw the OSFL this would be icing on the cake and if I did not it would be a fantastic consolation prize (which is what it ended up being). The Wild Turkey sighting was a county bird for me and also a county closeout (#114).

After Leslie and I departed I checked out the wetlands on Brown Rd and had literally nothing. I also checked the grounds of the Carroll County airport in hopes of finding an Upland Sandpiper. It was rather quiet but I did hear one Eastern Meadowlark.

I stopped by Western Regional Park (Howard County) on the way to work and there is alot of construction going on and the pond to the right of the entrance was drained and completely dry.

If anybody tries for the Olive-sidedFlycatcher please post your positive or negative results.

Jim Green
Gaithersburg, MD

work in moderation,BIRD IN EXCESS!!!

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